me too.
Outside of the goal, the game as a television product was fantastic.
Toronto went on to win 3-1 in what could only be described as an offensive explosion for Mo Johnston's boys, who hadn't scored since, well, ever.
I'm writing this right after the match and am still pumped up, so here is just a stream of consciousness. I need to jump online and check flight prices.
From that match, you would have to say Toronto shoots up to the top of the list in best atmospheres in MLS. Wow, huh? It's not just the post-goal celebrations, trust me. Watch a match from up there and you will be thrilled with the soccer IQ of the crowd. Standing and cheering as the team transitions from back line to the forwards and upping the volume as a winger sprints down the wing, anticipating the cross. That is the kind of intelligent fan base that makes a game fun to watch. It's OK to say it out loud, just like at those league matches across the pond ...
Speaking of, I don't know if Toronto will always draw like that midweek, but that is the product you need on television if you are trying to sell a league. If MLS has some wiggle room, and I understand you want Becks on as often as possible, but I'd get some more games from up there on the telly if the crowds hold up like that.
I don't care if they were playing on green artificial turf, green concrete or green beans - the game looked great on that field. Besides, it's not my knees and back and ankles getting the beating.
Yes, I was rooting for Toronto anyway for three reasons: they were playing the lowlifes from the Windy City, I grew up in Minnesota which is basically Canada and I guaranteed a Toronto win in last week's column. That said, did anyone else just scream out loud when Dichio scored that goal? Let's just say the Prince of the Palace had some nap-us interrupt-us in my casa.
What made the goal even sweeter for Dichio is that it came just minutes after Jim Curtin had done a Brian Urlacher impersonation on him in the box, wrapping him up and throwing him down while the ref was completely looking elsewhere.
OK, speaking of Dichio, the Anglophile in me was psyched to see him play (I know where he was born, save the e-mails, I'm talking about where I first saw him play). The dude is still as crazy as he is a handful, huh? Imagine seeing him in a dark alley. Or while trying to defend a corner. Obviously, he was a little, uh, hungry when Diego Gutierrez put his arm up near Dichio's mouth, but it was too bad they both had to get tossed. Dichio is fun to watch. You know, from the safety of another country.
I couldn't figure out where all those seat cushions were still coming from by Toronto's third goal. What, did ushers hand everyone a second round after the first goal?
The Queen - who by the way caught Dichio's chomp before I or the TV announcers did - opined that this is the last time TFC will give away seat cushions. I love when she is wrong. If I am Toronto FC, I'm handing them out every match. Plus, I'm pretty superstitious, so you can't mess with success.
Hey, what a shock, I missed the last eight minutes. Guess what? TiVo let me down again. I know, I have to manually set it to go beyond the scheduled end time. But when you are setting the TiVo in a hurry, you don't always remember. Can someone at TiVo please sort that glitch out?
During the season, The Clean Sheet runs each week on MLSnet. Views and opinions expressed in this column views and opinions are the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com. Send any questions and comments to tcsresponses@yahoo.com
